Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Feeding the trolls

I've been busy responding to the online comments on my letter to the editor, something so out of character that it makes my heart pound. But it's important to me to keep bumping the letter to the top of the list and to rack up as many comments as I can…I may have even been deliberately provocative, a little bit. I just want as many people as possible to read my letter and weigh in so that the community will discuss this issue at some level that might actually provoke a change.

It's all gotten very distracting. Almost nobody is taking my side (although I sense the world of online comments is not often where you go to find the especially rational people), and somebody just told me I sounded insane.

I responded, in part: "You want to argue it’s not schools’ job to prevent obesity? Fine. But can they at least stop CONTRIBUTING to the problem? Is it really that important to you that your kids maintain their God-given right to eat cupcakes between the hours of 8 and 3 M-F?"

If that's really so irrational, I'd love to hear why. And if not…a little help?

3 comments:

  1. WOW, I read the comments. I don't get it, you'd think it was their "right" to have any sugary food, any time they want.

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  2. Thanks, that's what I don't get: this rousing cry of "Stop taking away our freedom!" that really amounts to "How will the children survive without their cupcakes?"

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  3. I suppose if I had suggested that sugar hits the same pleasure center that cocaine does and is just as addictive the negative comments would explode. I would have to have my sources handy instead of my incredible memory from reading it; and put on my thick rhinoceros hide.

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